Lords Of The Night
The Lords of the Night are the ruling elites among the Vampyre and they are the direct descendants of Lilith herself. They are the original Vampyres and are a breed apart from their lesser cousins, the regular Vampyres common on the streets. The LotN differ from regular Vampyres in that they cannot turn humans with the transmission of blood. Lords of the Night are born as they are, and that is the only way for them to add to their numbers. They are also significantly more powerful since their bloodlines are all descended from Lilith herself. LotN all possess a strong capacity for magick which is innate to them and they are highly attuned to the supernatural. Facts: -The Lords of the Night are not a single Bloodline but instead the ruling caste among Vampyre kind. They have existed for millennia and even in modern times they still hold court, the most powerful of them commanding entire cities. -The Lords of the Night live as feudal kings, they are served by elite Vampyre fighters known as Blood Knights. Blood Knights are trained and equipped fighters who also have some knowledge of blood magick. They are formidable opponents and should not be underestimated. -The Lords of the Night are the original Vampyres. All other Vampyres are descended from them, since the Lords long ago learned that they could turn humans into lesser Vampyres through a process of blood draining and infusion known as Siring. -Because they are descended from Lilith, the First Witch, the Lords of the Night have often been the patrons and protectors of Witches. Many of the best and most favored servants of each House are usually Witches. It is rare to find a single court of the LotN who do not have at least one Witch on retainer there. -The Lords of the Night believe that domain of the night and all of its creatures is both a right and a duty put upon them by God Himself. They believe that Lilith was made master of the night, and as they are all her descendants, the burden of leadership for the children of the night falls on them. -The Lords of the Night can now be found the world over, but the oldest of their Ancestral Houses are all centered around the northern Mediterranean area and Eastern Europe. Indeed, the lands of Eastern Europe hold a significance to the LotN which borders on the religious since it is believed that Lilith eventually journeyed there after her expulsion from Eden. -Unlike lesser Vampyres who can only produce a Dhampyre when they interbreed with mortals, a Lord of the Night can take a mortal lover and their union will produce a fully fledged Lord as well. It is not uncommon for LotN of a certain House to take exceptional humans as spouses. -The Lords of the Night call themselves that for a reason, they see their Ancestral Houses and Courts as the nobility of monsters everywhere. They are raised from birth to both embrace their inhuman nature while also learning class and etiquette. -Some Bloodlines of the Lesser Vampyre may gain the power to walk in daylight. This is a power no Lord has ever developed. All LotN are nocturnal creatures, and the barest touch of sunlight will do them great harm. Courts of the Night: Each territory under the demesne of a Lord will be host to a Court of the Night or Shadow Court. These Courts were formed in ancient times, modeled after mortal kings who ruled entire lands from the seat of major urban centers. Like the mortal courts they were fashioned after, a Shadow Court will be led by a Vampyric lord known as a Prince, and beneath them will be soldiers, retainers, attendants, benefactors, those seeking the Court's favors, etc. A Prince can be male or female, and depending on the gender they may also be referred to as king or queen. In modern nights, male lords of a Shadow Court are only referred to as Prince, although female Princes may instead be addressed as Queen. There is no set standard for how a Shadow Court should be arranged, and no single authority to enforce such laws. But most Courts of the Night do follow the same basic pattern and the same offices tend to pop up in each. One common post is for a Voivode. A Voivode is the major military leader, aside from the Prince themselves, and this person is usually the ranking Blood Knight. In matters of security or war, the Voivode is the trusted right-hand of the Prince and has the authority to act in their name. A Scourge is the spy-master of the Prince. They are entrusted with spying on all the court attendants and being the Prince's eyes and ears. A Magister is a title of respect for Vampyres of exceptional learning and skill. It is not uncommon for Prince's to grant this title to particularly powerful Witches as well, granting them authority and power within the Court itself. Being a Magister essentially means acting as an advisor to the Prince on a certain subject or field of study in which the Magister specializes. Ancestral Houses: The Lesser Vampyre have their Bloodlines, but the Lords of the Night instead have their Ancestral Houses. Ancestral Houses fulfill essentially the same role as Bloodlines, but being a member of an Ancestral House also brings with it rights to land, royal titles, inheritance, etc. Tied to the Land: When Lilith was cast from Eden, she is believed to have journeyed far to the North where she entered Eastern Europe. There, alone in the wilderness, she communed with primordial powers and became one with the land itself. Because of this, and because of the Lord's strong nature for nobility and rulership, the LotN have strong ties to the land itself. LotN cannot gain a full 'rest' unless they sleep in the very soil of their homeland. If a LotN officially moves to a new land (a rare occurrence) they will eventually acclimate to the soil of the new region. But when traveling abroad, a LotN must go to the trouble of bring with them sufficient quantities of dirt - or risk spending the days of their journey in fitful sleep. Retainers: Retainers are Supernaturals or mortals who, for whatever reason, have been made into designated servants or representatives of the Lord themselves. This isn't a designation easily given. Being a Retainer means that a person is now connected to the Lord, and should they commit some crime or trespass, their Lord may suffer a loss of face among their kind. Conversely, being a Retainer will often grant a person greater access to the Lord's not inconsiderable resources! Children of the Night: Lilith instilled in her blood descendants a strong affinity for the supernatural. The Lords of the Night view themselves as the nobility among monster-kind, and as such tend to look upon Werewolves, Zombies, Necromancers, etc., as their subjects. Blood Magick: Blood Magick is a specific field of study in the arcane arts which centers around the medium of blood as a vehicle for supernatural acts. Witches and other Supernaturals can learn Blood Magick of their own accord, but the Lords of the Night are infamous for their skill in this gruesome power and are considered to be the de facto masters of it. Unknown Sciences: The Lords of the Night follow the example of their founder, Lilith, and pursue all forms of Knowledge everywhere. They do not make the major distinction between magick and science that mortals do. Nor do they care. To the LotN, it's all various forms of Power, and it falls to the Lords to harness as much Power as possible. In addition to collecting arcane tomes and practicing magick, every LotN is probably also going to be well versed in modern sciences. In fact, most Shadow Courts will actually possess technology ahead of that of current mortal standards. After all, mortal scientists have but a single lifetime to study their specific fields, but the Magisters and their Scholars can spend centuries mastering multiple disciplines! Religious Beliefs: While each Ancestral House and Shadow Court may adopt the long-standing traditions of its native culture, all LotN sternly follow the religious precept that they are the Children of Lilith. Despite the Biblical account found in the Judeo-Christian tradition, the LotN believe that Lilith defied her husband Adam. But they believe God rewarded her defiance and bravery by transforming her into the first True Vampyre. The various Ancestral Houses each have their own retelling of the tale, complete with special anecdotes and oral traditions. Most Houses have also encapsulated their beliefs about Lilith within the trappings of the native Abrahamic religion. It's not uncommon to find Christian-looking chapels or Islamic-style mosques built by LotN. But don't expect the worship of Jesus Christ or Muhammed! Each and every LotN is a devout Lilithian, a follower of Lilith. The mainstay of Lilithianism is, first and foremost, the pursuit of individuality and knowledge. These were the two virtues that defined Lilith's life, according to the tales told of her from within the Ancestral Houses. All LotN are expected to exemplify them before all others. Also, the LotN believe that God made Lility to rule the night. Just as God made the Moon to rule the night sky, so Lilith was charged with ruling the land by night. This is the principle reason why the LotN view themselves as nobility. References: -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjZfdrnSOrh4iFL2GCNvWVw Category:Lords Of The Night Category:Death